(a) Parking Lot Interior Landscaping.
(1) Any parking lot of twenty (20) or more parking spaces shall be provided with interior landscaping.
(2) The area of interior landscaping shall equal a minimum five (5%) percent of the parking lot area.
(3) No more than fifteen (15) parking spaces are permitted in a continuous row.
(4) Small, dispersed landscape areas, commonly known as planting islands, shall be the primary method of distributing the landscape area throughout the interior of the parking lot and for interrupting any continuous rows of parking spaces.
(5) he landscaped area shall be reasonably dispersed throughout the parking lot. Planting islands shall be a minimum nine (9) feet in width and a minimum length of eighteen (18) feet and shall contain one shade tree for each eighteen (18) feet of length plus an additional shade tree for any remaining length of less than eighteen (18) feet.
(6) Shrubs and other live planting material may be used to complement the shade trees. Smaller material shall not be placed where it would be subject to damage by car overhangs, the opening of car doors, and from snow removal.
(7) Planting islands which have light poles for lighting the parking lot area may substitute ornamental / understory trees for the required shade trees.
(8) Planting islands and strips may be depressed below the normal pavement elevation for the purposes of storm water management and bio-retention as long as storm water conveyance facilities are available.
(9) Where compliance with this chapter would result in a deficiency in the number of parking spaces required by Section 1173.03, in such circumstance, the required number of parking spaces may be reduced as necessary for compliance with this chapter.
(b) Parking Lot Peripheral Landscaping.
(1) All main access drives and ring roads within a parking lot shall be delineated with landscape islands.
(2) A landscape strip a minimum of ten (10) feet in width, which shall not include a sidewalk or trail, shall be located between the parking lot area and the right-of-way. At least one (1) tree for every forty (40) feet of adjacent right-of-way shall be planted in the landscape strip; however, this shall not be construed as requiring the planting of trees on forty (40) foot centers.
(3) Smaller material shall not be placed where it would be subject to damage by car overhangs, the opening of car doors and from snow removal.
(c) Landscape plantings within mulched beds shall be required along the front building foundation and building entrances and shall consist of a mixture of annuals, perennials, groundcovers, ornamental and evergreen shrubs and ornamental trees. Placement of large boulders and other landscape features are encouraged. Side building foundations shall be landscaped in a like manner on the street side on corner lots.
(d) Groupings of evergreen and shade trees shall be planted in front of large scale walls, such as on commercial and industrial buildings, to soften the wall face from street view.
(e) Landscaping shall be required surrounding storm water retention/detention basins so to naturalize the area. Plants shall not be placed in a manner that interferes with the maintenance and serviceability of the basin or its access.
(f) Landscaping shall be installed around the base of free standing signs and include at least thirty (30%) percent evergreen or conifer material at least eighteen (18) inches in height.
(g) Landscaping shall be placed at subdivision entrances/signage and be in compliance with this Code.
(Ord. 09-0-24. Passed 5-19-09.)
(Ord. 09-0-24. Passed 5-19-09.)